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Mashpee schools chief is first up in interviews for Groton-Dunstable job

By Pierre Comtois, Correspondent

Updated:
01/05/2013 06:35:31 AM EST

GROTON -- In the first of three interviews with school superintendent finalists, the Groton-Dunstable Regional School Committee learned that one of candidate Ann Bradshaw's chief goals was to convince her staff and the public that they were in it together.

"We're all a group," Bradshaw told committee members Friday night.

Bradshaw said that if hired, the first thing she would do is to meet with parents, then the School Committee, to develop working relationships with both in order to "build trust."

From there, she said she would do what she had done elsewhere -- issue a weekly newsletter to staff members keeping them informed of what was happening in her office.

"They should know what is going on in the district from me first, before they hear it in the supermarket," said Bradshaw.

The first of three finalists chosen by a special screening committee, Bradshaw will be followed by Marie Galinski on Monday and Maureen Ward on Tuesday.

Bradshaw, who has been superintendent of Mashpee schools since 2005, attended Fitchburg and Bridgewater state colleges before beginning her education career as a teacher in Falmouth schools.

As Mashpee superintendent, Bradshaw has concentrated on a number of areas of concern to Groton-Dunstable, including integration of technology into curriculum, communication with the public and budgeting.

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With six of seven members of the School Committee present Friday, Bradshaw was peppered with questions ranging from curriculum to technology.

In formulating a budget, Bradshaw said she would first look at a five-year average for fixed costs, take into account class size, then work with her staff in setting priorities.

Bradshaw said her aim would be to take state aid into account and cut if necessary while always keeping in sight maintenance of the district's core curriculum and programs.

In answering a question regarding how to sell the budget to the public, Bradshaw said she would set it in a format that could be understood by everyone and then begin a round of meetings with the public and town officials to explain details.

"I'll try hard to make it as transparent as possible," said Bradshaw of the process. "I'll try hard to make a lot of opportunities for everyone to get aboard."

On curriculum, Bradshaw insisted on creating a course of study that would challenge all students.

When challenges were issued, Bradshaw told committee members she found that students usually rose to the occasion.

Bradshaw expressed support for students' emotional needs, as well as academic ones, saying that good counseling in schools was "very important."

In recent weeks, school officials have been pushing for more technology within the classroom. Bradshaw, while admitting students likely knew more about the subject than she did, suggested a three- to five-year plan for full integration of technology such as computers and video into the district.

Bradshaw said suggestions regarding technology use in schools often come from faculty and staff, and that she would welcome and support any such suggestions.

Calling the arts a "critical part of the curriculum," Bradshaw described what "good teaching looks like": teachers who connect with their students, students who are at ease in a classroom environment and classrooms with activity in them.

Evidence of student progress would be measured by testing as well as the ability of graduates in getting into the colleges of choice.

Committee members were concerned about the ability of a new superintendent to reach out to the public on issues dealing with the school system.

"One thing I would like to do is be out in the world," assured Bradshaw, saying she intended to attend student activities and meet with parent groups. "I will be very accessible and over time hope to build relationships."

That was the point where the candidate expressed her belief that every constituency involved in education, including district employees, town officials and the public, needed to feel they were part of a team effort.

Bradshaw assured committee members that if hired, she move to the area from East Falmouth.

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